Historic Folk Toys: Craft, 'Potholder Loom'

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$12.95
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Potholder LoomOur Potholder Loom includes a square loom (7-1/4 inches by 7-1/4 inches) made of ABS plastic, a plastic weaving hook, instructions, and enough colorful cotton loops to make six pot holders. This is such a popular 20th-century craft project! Many adults will remember using a loom like this to make pot holders when they were elementary age. Once the craze for making pot holders gets you, you just can't make enough!

Historical Background:The potholder loom was conceived in the 1930s as a means to use "loopers" in a creative way. Loopers, also known as "cut off strips," are a waste product of the hosiery industry. Hosiery and sock mills had vast amounts of waste from a piece of the sock tubing that was cut off. Hosiery was made on a Looper Machine, which works much slower than the "sewing clip" used today to make cut off strips or loopers. This is where we get the names "looper loom" and "loopers."

Some manufacturers also utilized yarn for these looms and included needles. Donar Products made a small two-inch square loom to use with yarn. A long metal or plastic hook is included with most Looper Loom packages to assist with the weaving of the loopers, but fingers can also be used. The Davis Adjustable Loom was metal with three extra slots on opposite sides for varying the size of rectangular weavings.

Historical Folk Toys is pleased to offer this product to today's children. Many schools and art teachers use this loom to teach their students basic weaving principles. Happy weaving!